Dinosaur National Monument offers a lifetime of places to explore. Depending on your interest and time, you can discover dinosaur fossils, Native American rock art, homesteader cabins, early 20th century ranches, remote canyons, dramatic vistas, peaceful rivers or windswept peaks. Some places are easily accessible from the monument’s roads, while others may require extended hikes or river trips. Looking down hundreds of feet to the Green River as it curls past narrow canyon walls, you’ll know it was worth the exercise. Photo by National Park Service.

In the heart of Dinosaur National Monument, the Yampa River flows through Sand Canyon and meets the Green River in Echo Park. Following the water, you’ll pass through wide, rocky canyons and cross from Colorado into Utah. If you look close enough, you can see Native American pictographs and the dinosaur fossils that gave the park its name. Doesn’t that sounds like a terrific summer adventure? Photo by National Park Service.

Dinosaur National Monument contains famous fossil finds, dramatic river canyons, intriguing petroglyphs, and endless opportunities for adventure. Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike to spectacular views, the thrill of rafting through a twisting canyon, or sitting quietly and watching the sunset, Dinosaur National Monument offers a myriad of activities for you to enjoy. This photo is from the Cub Creek area, which includes hiking trails, petroglyphs and pictographs, historic structures from the monument’s homesteading history and more. Photo by National Park Service.

There are no live dinosaurs today at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah, but there are other surprises. For most of its length, the Ruple Point Trail crosses a rolling terrain filled with sagebrush and juniper. Near the end of the trail, a short descent suddenly reveals breathtaking views of Split Mountain Canyon and the Green River 2,500 feet below. It’s a great reward at the halfway point of this 9.5 mile hike. Take plenty of water! Photo by National Park Service.

There are so many incredible sights along the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. As it flows from Colorado into Utah, the river passes rugged canyons, Native American petroglyphs, a historic ranch and numerous fossil sites. The Jurassic fossils helped develop the science of paleontology and gave the park its name. Photo by Nancy Danna (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Rafting is a popular way to experience Dinosaur National Monument’s remote canyons. From origins high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Green and Yampa Rivers wind their way past steep canyon walls and across sagebrush-covered plains. Some stretches are calm and peaceful, others promise the thrill of swift rapids. All offer amazing views and fun outdoor adventures. Photo by Alan Nyiri, National Park Service volunteer.

Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike to spectacular views, the thrill of rafting through a twisting canyon, getting up close to famous dinosaur fossils, or sitting quietly and watching the sunset, Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah offers endless opportunities for adventure. The hardest part may be choosing what to do first. Sunset from Wagon Wheel Point courtesy of Louis Kamler.